IS Claims Attack on Libyan Foreign Ministry

Islamic State claimed attack on Libyan Foreign Ministry that took place on Tuesday, 25 December. Suicide attackers stormed the Libyan foreign ministry in the capital Tripoli killing at least three people including a senior civil servant in an attack claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group.

Twenty-one other people were wounded in the attack, authorities said.

A car bomb exploded near the ministry, prompting security forces to rush to the scene, said special forces spokesman Tarak al-Dawass.

Protests in Tunisia After Journalist Sets Himself on Fire

Protests erupted Tuesday, 25 December, in Tunisia after the death of a journalist who set himself on fire to protest economic problems in the North African nation, prompting clashes with police and nationwide concern.

Journalist Abderrazak Zorgui posted a video online before his self-immolation in the struggling provincial city of Kasserine describing his desperation and calling for revolt. He expressed frustration at unemployment and the unfulfilled promises of Tunisia's 2011 Arab Spring revolution.

Authorities said Zorgui died of his injuries Monday, 24 December, soon after being taken to the hospital.

8-Year-Old Dies in US Immigration Custody

An 8-year-old boy from Guatemala died in government custody in New Mexico early Tuesday, 25 December, US immigration authorities said, marking the second death of an immigrant child in detention this month.

The death came during an ongoing dispute over border security and with a partial government shutdown underway over President Donald Trump's request for border wall funding.

Rupee Surges 19 Paise Against Dollar in Early Trade

The rupee gained 19 paise against the US dollar Wednesday to trade at 69.95 after increased selling of the US currency by exporters and banks.

At the Interbank Foreign Exchange, the rupee opened on a strong note at 69.79 a dollar against the previous close of 70.14. Further, the domestic unit surrendered early gains to quote at 69.95, showing a gain of 19 paise.

Militant Hideout Busted in Jammu and Kashmir After Search Operation

Security forces on Wednesday busted a militant hideout in a forest area close to Hizbul commander Riyaz Naikoo's village, during a cordon and search operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, police said.

The hideout is close to Beighpora village, the ancestral village of Naikoo, who is at the top of security forces wanted list in south Kashmir.

Activists Detained as China Rights Lawyer Trial Begins

Two rights activists were taken away Wednesday after protesting outside the tightly-guarded courthouse where the trial of a prominent human rights lawyer is set to begin, witnesses saw.

Wang Quanzhang, 42, who defended political activists and victims of land seizures, disappeared in a 2015 sweep aimed at courtroom critics of Communist authorities known as the "709" crackdown.

Charged in January 2016 with alleged "subversion of state power", Wang had been in legal limbo - detained without a trial date - until Monday, when his government-appointed lawyer finally contacted his wife with his court date.

10 Dead in Bus Crash at Iran University

Ten people have been killed in a bus accident at one of Tehran's largest universities, Iran's conservative news agency Tasnim reported Wednesday.

The bus was carrying 30 students along a mountainous road within the science research campus of Islamic Azad University in northwestern Tehran when it came off the road and hit a concrete column on Tuesday.

Seven were killed instantly, state TV said, while an updated death toll of 10 was reported by Tasnim the day after the crash.

Three Students Killed in China University Lab Explosion

Three students were killed in a Beijing university Wednesday in a laboratory blast, the city's fire department said.

"There was an explosion at the experimental site during a scientific research experiment" on wastewater treatment in the Environmental Engineering Laboratory, the Beijing Fire Department said in a statement posted on its social media account.

Uzbek Woman Arrested Near UP Border While Trying to Sneak into Nepal

An Uzbek woman was arrested in Sonauli town near the border in Uttar Pradesh when she was allegedly trying to cross over to Nepal without valid documents, an official said Wednesday.

Dilafruz Norova, 32, who was on her way to Nepal from Delhi, was arrested by the immigration department after officials found she did not have proper visa documents, Sonauli check-post officer Sakieel Ahmed Ansari said.

A case has been registered and the Intelligence Bureau has been informed, he said.

Delhi Police Busts Fake Education Board Racket

Safeguard Duty on Steel: India Appeals Against WTO's Panel Ruling

India challenged the WTO dispute panel's ruling that the country's move to impose safeguard duty on some iron and steel products was inconsistent with certain global trade norms, an official said.

The appellate body and the panel are part of the World Trade organisation's (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism. It is a 164-member multilateral body which make rules related to global exports and imports.

The air quality of the national capital was recorded in the 'very poor' category as slightly improved meteorological conditions marginally favoured dispersion of pollutants, authorities said.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed the overall air quality index (AQI) at 'very poor' level of 396, while the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR) showed an AQI of 369 which too falls in the 'very poor' category.

The overall PM2.5 level — fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometer — was recorded at 249 and the PM10 level at 378, the CPCB said.

Bomb Manufacturing Equipment Recovered From Amethi

Grenade, iron sockets etc were recovered from Amethi’s third year civil engineering student’s Jafradbad residence. The bomb manufacturing equipment were exactly similar to one used by Abdul Karim Tunda, said sources.

Suicide Attack on Pakistanis in Afghanistan Kills Six

An Afghan official says a suicide bomber disguised as a beggar has killed six people in a wealthy subdivision of the southern city of Kandahar.

Mohammad Yousof Younosi, a provincial council member, says the attack on Tuesday happened a block away from his home and appeared to have targeted a group of Pakistanis from that country's Baluchistan region.

Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Pannerselvam's brother, who was sacked last week, was re-inducted into the AIADMK following the "forget and forgive" policy, the ruling party said today.

However, this would not apply to deposed party leaders VK Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran and they would never be re-inducted, senior AIADMK leader and state Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar told reporters.

Shivpal Willing to Join Hands with Congress to Defeat BJP in LS Polls

Rebel SP leader Shivpal Yadav, who recently floated the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia), has said he was willing to join hands with the Congress to defeat the BJP in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

To a question on the possibility of coalitions for the next year's Lok Sabha polls, he said, "We have our party's organisation in 75 districts of the state...the party has decided to contest all the seats against the BJP...to defeat the BJP, we can also enter into an alliance with the Congress."

14-Year-Old Rape Victim Seeks HC's Nod to Terminate 22-Week Pregnancy

A 14-year-old rape victim has approached the Bombay High Court seeking permission to terminate her 22-week pregnancy. A vacation bench of Justice Bharati Dangre directed the victim to be medically examined by a team of expert doctors at the state-run J J Hospital in Mumbai.

"The team should examine her (victim) and submit a detailed report on whether it is feasible and advisable to terminate the pregnancy of the victim," the court said. Under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, abortion beyond 20 weeks of pregnancy can be done only after seeking nod from the high court.

Gujarat Govt Bans School Picnic Buses From Plying During Night

In the wake of two recent bus accidents in which eight students were killed and several others injured, the Gujarat government banned school picnic buses from plying during night hours. The decision was taken at the state Cabinet meeting held in Gandhinagar, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said after the meeting.

Pakistan's Former Lawmaker Shot Dead in Karachi

Pakistan's former lawmaker Syed Ali Raza Abidi was shot dead by unidentified gunmen outside his home in Karachi, the latest in a series of attacks targeting political leaders in the southern port city.

Two armed men on a motorbike opened fire on the former Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmaker's car outside his house in Khayaban-e-Ghazi neighbourhood in Karachi on Tuesday night, Dawn newspaper reported.

Fire Accident in USA Kills 3 Indian Children

Three teenagers of a family from Nalgonda district of Telangana died in a fire accident at Collierville in Tennessee in the US, relatives said today.

According to them, the siblings- Sathwika Naik (16), Suhan Naik (15) and Jaya Suchith (14), were studying there and attended a Christmas party at a local resident's house which caught fire on 24 December.

Court to Give Order on Alok Nath's Anticipatory Bail on 28 December

New ISIS Inspired Module was in Advance Stage of Carrying Out a Series of Blasts: NIA

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has said that large quantities of explosive material, weapons and ammunition including a country made rocket launcher have been recovered so far, during searches conducted in Delhi’s Seelampur and UP’s Amroha, Hapur, Meerut and Lucknow. The NIA claimed that it has conducted searches at 17 locations in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi in connection with a new ISIS module styled as 'Harkat ul Harb e Islam' which was in an advance stage of carrying out a series of blasts.

Their targets were political persons, other important personalities and vital security installations.

Ensure Shelter for Stray Cows: CM Yogi Adityanath to Officials

At a time when the opposition has alleged that the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh is more focused on cows than human lives, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed the officials concerned to make immediate arrangements for proper care of stray cows. He has also ordered clearing of grazing grounds in different parts of the state from encroachments.

In a meeting with senior officials, the chief minister told them to set up a committee to consider measures for providing better shelter facilities for stray cows and directed Chief Secretary Anup Chanda Pandey to present recommendations in this regard in a week.

Chhattisgarh's New Congress Government Reshuffles 16 IPS Officers

In another major administrative reshuffle in four days, the newly-elected Congress government in Chhattisgarh has assigned new postings to 16 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, including superintendents of police of 11 districts.

The latest order for transfer and postings of 16 IPS officers was issued late Tuesday night by the state Home department, an official said.

Amit Shah Appoints Party In-Charges for 17 States for Lok Sabha Polls

BJP Making False Claims About Crop Insurance to Farmers: Mamata

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of making false claims of providing crop insurance to farmers in West Bengal, and said the state has paid 80 percent of the insurance payout.

With the search operation launched by the Coast Guard to trace the missing trawler 'Suvarna Tribhuja' off Karnataka and Goa waters yielding little success, the maritime agency is now looking at uninhabited areas along the coasts of these two states, a senior official said.

The ship, carrying seven crew members, belonged to one Nityanand Kotian. The last contact established with the ship was on December 16, the official said.

Afghanistan Postpones Presidential Election

Afghanistan's presidential election, initially scheduled for April, will be postponed for several months to allow time to fix technical problems that surfaced during October's parliamentary elections, officials said today.

Two Persons Killed in Road Accident in Assam

Pair with Fake Guns Spark Panic at Paris Airport

Two people holding replica guns sparked a panic at Paris' main Charles de Gaulle airport today before they were quickly arrested, sources close to the investigation said. Passengers were evacuated from Terminal 2 for around 45 minutes after the incident.

Mayawati Denounces 'Improper, Arbitrary' Order on Friday Namaz

BSP President Mayawati today denounced the Noida administration's "improper and arbitrary" order on Friday namaaz, saying such a policy, if any, should be implemented in all districts and on people from all religions.

Parents of a week-old twin girl who died four days after a blaze ravaged state-run ESIC hospital in Mumbai last week alleged that the authorities slashed the Rs 10 lakh compensation payable to them to Rs 2 lakh, saying "the premature baby was anyway going to die naturally".

Two 5.56 MM Live Round Cartridges Recovered in Delhi Airport

Foggy Weather Leads to Train Cancellations

Northern Railway PRO has said that, due to foggy weather conditions, 11 trains have been cancelled; additionally, 2 trains were partially cancelled and there has been a reduction in the frequency of 6 trains.

Magnitude 4.8 Earthquake Hits Indonesia

Putin Hails 'Successful' Test of New Hypersonic Missile

Russian President Vladimir Putin today hailed final tests of a hypersonic missile, which he earlier said would render existing missile defence systems obsolete.

"On my instructions, the Ministry of Defence prepared and conducted a final test of this system. This has just been completed with absolute success," Putin said during a televised meeting with members of the government.

13 Nigerian Troops, Policeman Killed in Boko Haram Attack

Boko Haram jihadists ambushed a military convoy in northeastern Nigeria, killing 13 soldiers and a policeman, the army said today. But an officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the militants had overrun an army base, and put the death toll at 18.

Civilian Killed in Firing by Pakistani Troops Along LoC in J&K's Rajouri

A 55-year-old civilian was killed today in unprovoked firing by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, a defence spokesman said. "At around 1200 hours, Pakistan army initiated unprovoked firing in Noushera sector, resulting in fatal casualty of one civilian, Bodhraj, a resident of Deeing villagle," Jammu-based Army PRO Lt Col Devender Anand said.

Separate High Court for Andhra Pradesh From 1 January

Ministry of Law & Justice has notified the constitution of a separate High Court for Andhra Pradesh from 1 January 2019, in Amaravati. President Ram Nath Kovind signed the notification today. Andhra Pradesh High Court will be the 25th High Court in the country.

Bimal Jalan to Head Expert Panel on Economic Capital Framework

More than a month after its board decided to constitute an expert panel to decide on appropriate size of RBI's reserves, the central bank today constituted a six-member committee headed by former Governor Bimal Jalan with former secretary Rakesh Mohan as the vice chair.

Assam Court Summons MoS Rajen Gohain in Rape Case

The CJM court of Assam's Nagaon district has summoned Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain to appear before it on 8 January 2019 in connection with the alleged rape of a 24-year-old woman in that district.

The summons, which became public Wednesday, was issued on 28 November.

Delhi Environment Minister Directs Authorities to Control Local Polluting Factors

Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain asked authorities today to control local polluting factors such as garbage burning and dust, and warned of action against senior officials if they fail to comply with the directions.

Security Forces Exchange Fire with Maoists in Odisha

An exchange of fire took place between Maoists and security forces at Gandhamardan hill range in Bargarh district, a senior police officer said today. Police claimed that at least two Maoists suffered injuries in the gun battle on Tuesday night.

Egypt's Two Ex-Presidents Appear in the Same Courtroom

Two former Egyptian presidents appeared today in the same Cairo courtroom, with Hosni Mubarak testifying in a retrial of Mohammed Morsi on charges related to prison breaks at the height of the 2011 uprising that toppled Mubarak.

Five Delhi Trekkers, One Guide and Five Porters Rescued by Indo-Tibetan Border Police

Indo-Tibetan Border Police said that five Delhi trekkers, one guide and five porters have been rescued today from Munsiari by 14 Battalion ITBP personnel. They were stranded in the region since 24 December due to snowfall on the Khaliya Top in Bhainstal area. All the rescued persons are in good health.

Six Cops Booked on Charges of 'Killing' a Dalit Youth in Amroha

Six policemen, including an inspector and a sub-inspector, were booked today on charges of "killing" a Dalit youth in their custody in Amroha district in UP, said a senior official. The Department has already suspended 11 police officials of the Dhanaura police station for their alleged involvement in the custodial death, said Amroha Superintendent of Police Brijesh Kumar Singh.

The Centre has decided to call a meeting of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu chief ministers soon to resolve the issue regarding the proposed construction of Mekedatu dam across the Cauvery river which led to stalling of Parliament proceedings last week.

The issue was discussed in detail by Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy in a meeting with Union Water Resources and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari today.

Ayyappa Jyothies Lit Across Kerela

Thousands of people lit "Ayyappa Jyothies" (lamps) across Kerala from the northern Kasaragod district to the state capital down south today evening, vowing to protect the rituals and traditions of the famous hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala.

Two Dead and over 25 Injured in Himachal Pradesh After Bus Falls in a Gorge

Two dead and over 25 injured after a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus travelling from Nalagarh to Jainagar fell in a gorge in Jamli area in Bilaspur district in Himachal Pradesh. The injured have been shifted to a district hospital. Rescue operation is currently underway.